I. PREREQUISITE For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

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1 GOVT 49 Note: Course content may be changed, term to term, without notice. The information below is provided as a guide for course selection and is not binding in any form, and should not be used to purchase course materials.

2 GOVT 49 Syllabus COURSE SYLLABUS GOVT 49 ADVANCED LOGIC AND LEGAL REASONING COURSE DESCRIPTION This course will address advanced concepts of logic and legal reasoning and engage the student in practical applications to reinforce sound legal thinking. RATIONALE The two primary goals of the Pre-Law and Policy program are to provide an opportunity for the student to obtain skills that will assist him/her in both obtaining admittance and succeeding in law school. Likewise, the purpose of this course is to further expose the undergraduate student to principles of logic and reasoning that are used in the legal community, including logic and legal reasoning skills relevant to the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and to the rigors of the legal profession. I. PREREQUISITE For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog. II. III. REQUIRED RESOURCE PURCHASES Click on the following link to view the required resource(s) for the term in which you are registered: ADDITIONAL MATERIALS FOR LEARNING A. Computer with basic audio/video output equipment B. Internet access (broadband recommended) C. Microsoft Word IV. MEASURABLE LEARNING OUTCOMES Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to: A. Examine formal techniques of evaluating logic. B. Apply rules and techniques in order to understand legal reasoning. C. Formulate reasoned and cogent legal arguments. D. Evaluate complex fact patterns in order to efficiently apply the information to relevant issues. E. Apply techniques necessary to address the logical reasoning, analytical reasoning, and reading comprehension questions the student will face on the LSAT exam. Page 2 of 5

3 GOVT 49 Syllabus F. Articulate biblical standards of logic and reasoning in theory and practice. V. COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND ASSIGNMENTS A. Textbook readings and lecture presentations B. Course Requirements Checklist After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in Module/Week 1. C. Discussion Board Forums (7) Discussion boards are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student is required to provide a thread in response to the provided prompt for each forum. Each thread must be 4 5 words and demonstrate course-related knowledge. In addition to the thread, the student is required to reply to 2 classmates threads. Each reply must be 2 25 words. D. LSAT Exam Research Paper The student will locate articles that address the research performed by Berkley on how studying for the LSAT exam can alter brain structure. Then, based upon all the reading and reviewing for this course, the student will write a 5 8-page paper analyzing how the LSAT exam tests logic and legal reasoning skills, including deductive and inductive reasoning and understanding of fallacies. At least 3 quality sources must be used to support the student s position. Also, at the end of the paper the student must include a paragraph that states the date the student will take the LSAT and a list of actions to be taken prior to that date in order to prepare for the LSAT exam. The research paper must follow current Bluebook formatting. E. LSAT Exams (7) The student will complete 7 LSAT practice exams. The exams will cover logic games, logical reasoning, and reading comprehension. Each exam will take 2 hours and 3 minutes to complete. VI. COURSE GRADING AND POLICIES A. Points B. Scale Course Requirements Checklist 1 DB Forums (7 at 1 pts ea) 7 LSAT Exam Research Paper 25 LSAT Exams (1 at 5 pts ea, 6 at pts ea) 5 Total 11 A = 9 11 B = C = D = F = 599 Page 3 of 5

4 GOVT 49 Syllabus C. Disability Assistance Students with a documented disability may contact Liberty University Online s Office of Disability Academic Support (ODAS) at LUOODAS@liberty.edu to make arrangements for academic accommodations. Further information can be found at Page 4 of 5

5 GOVT 49 Syllabus COURSE SCHEDULE GOVT 49 Textbooks: Aldisert, Logic for Lawyers: A Guide to Clear Legal Thinking (1997). Kaplan, LSAT Premier (216). MODULE/ WEEK READING & STUDY ASSIGNMENTS POINTS 1 Aldisert: chs. 5 6 Kaplan: Part 1 1 website Course Requirements Checklist Class Introductions DB Forum 1 LSAT Exam Aldisert: ch. 1 Kaplan: chs. 2 4 DB Forum 2 LSAT Exam Aldisert: ch. 11 Kaplan: chs. 5 7 DB Forum 3 LSAT Exam Aldisert: ch. 12 Kaplan: chs. 8 9 DB Forum 4 LSAT Exam Kaplan: chs DB Forum 5 LSAT Exam Kaplan: chs DB Forum 6 LSAT Exam Kaplan: chs DB Forum 7 LSAT Exam LSAT Exam Research Paper 25 DB = Discussion Board TOTAL 11 NOTE: Each course module/week (except Module/Week 1) begins on Tuesday morning at 12: a.m. (ET) and ends on Monday night at 11:59 p.m. (ET). The final module/week ends at 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Friday. Page 5 of 5